Court Upholds Order Restraining INEC From Contracting Oluomo For Sensitive Materials Distribution

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Friday, issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from contracting chairman of Lagos State Parks Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo to distribute 2023 election materials in the state.

The order also restricted the electoral body from using its privies or any persons acting under its directions from contracting, partnering, or appoint any of MC Oluomo’s members and/or drivers in distributing materials in the state.

This is the judgment of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke in a suit filed by Labour Party, its governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and four others.

The other applicants in the suit are: African Democratic Congress, Boot Party, and their governorship candidates, Funsho Doherty, and Wale Oluwo respectively.

A hearing in the substantive case came up on Wednesday after which the court adjourned till Friday (today) for its judgment.

The applicants through their lawyer, Abass Ibrahim, in a motion on notice filed and argued before the court, had asked for the following reliefs: “a declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee by INEC to distribute 2023 election materials and personnel in Lagos State violates Section 26 and 27 of the Electoral Act 2022 and consequently unlawful, null and void.

“A declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee (established by Governor Babajide SanwoOlu, the APC gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State) and any of its members and/or drivers by INEC to distribute election materials and personnels in Lagos State will give room for election sabotage, manipulation, and rigging in favour of the APC and consequently unlawful and illegal.

“A declaration that the appointment, partnership, or contracting of Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo-led Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers by INEC to distribute 2023 election materials and personnels in Lagos State is unlawful, wrongful, unjust and/or unreasonable and should be immediately stopped.

“An order setting aside any partnership, undertaking, contract and/or MOU of any form or nature executed by Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, the Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers with INEC to distribute election materials and personnels in Lagos State.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC and/or their privies or any persons acting under their directions from contracting, partnering of appointing Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, Lagos State Parks Management Committee or any of its members and/or drivers to distribute 2023 election materials and personnels in Lagos State.”

The reliefs were listed as ‘reliefs one to five.

At the hearing on Friday, INEC did not file any response to the suit, neither was it represented by any lawyer, despite been served with all the processes in the suit as ordered by the court.